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Business and Economic News and Headlines From ABC News Radioen-us(c) ABC News RadioHarvey Weinstein probe may have been mishandled by prosecutor, Time's Up claims, calling for actionhttp://wadk.com/business-news/572f2b88adbfd1e02610867ccbce5200
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 19:34:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/572f2b88adbfd1e02610867ccbce5200J. Countess/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Time's Up, an advocacy and legal-defense group fighting sexual harassment in Hollywood and beyond, wants New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to investigate why a prominent prosecutor decided against prosecuting Harvey Weinstein in 2015, two years before dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct and assault against the producer became public.

The open letter, which was exclusively obtained and published by New York magazine's The Cut, calls on Cuomo to "launch an independent investigation of the New York County District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, and the office of the District Attorney to determine the facts related to the decision not to prosecute Harvey Weinstein for sexual abuse crimes against one of his accusers, Ambra Battilana [Gutierrez]."

Gutierrez, a Filipina-Italian model, got Weinstein on audio in March 2015 allegedly admitting to groping her, according to a New York magazine article referenced in the Time's Up letter. The audio recording was part of a sting operation led by the New York Police Department.

On the tape, Weinstein tries to convince her to come into his room, and only after almost two minutes of back-and-forth in the hallway does Weinstein finally end his efforts to get her to stay, New York magazine reported.

Time's Up's open letter to the New York governor focuses on a New York magazine's report suggesting that the district attorney's office may have mishandled the case against Weinstein at the time.

"Reports that District Attorney Cyrus Vance could have been improperly influenced by Mr. Weinstein and/or his representatives, and that senior officials within the DA’s office may have sought to intimidate Battilana are particularly disturbing and merit investigation," the letter said.

"Similarly, reports that the New York Police Department chose to isolate Battilana from Vance’s staff because they feared his office was actively working to discredit her story demand immediate scrutiny," the letter continued.

Gutierrez said previously about her experience with Weinstein, “There were two years where I lost a lot in my life, but I wanted to help others. I’m happy now no one will suffer anymore.”

The district attorney’s office told ABC News that the New York magazine article “bears little resemblance to the facts.”

“The Manhattan DA's pioneering sex crimes unit -- the first of its kind in the country -- has been a national leader in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults committed by perpetrators of all backgrounds since the 1970s,” the statement continued. “The idea that our office would shrink from the challenge of prosecuting a powerful man is belied by our daily work and unparalleled record of success on behalf of sexual assault survivors.”

In a second statement later on Monday, the district attorney's office said: "The NYPD and Manhattan DA’s Office are fully committed partners in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault. Survivors of sexual violence and all who stand with them should know that this account does not accurately represent the strong partnership between the NYPD and Manhattan DA Cy Vance’s Office, and our unparalleled track record of holding sexual predators from all backgrounds accountable in thousands of sex crimes cases that we have successfully brought together.

“The Manhattan DA and the NYPD share the common mission of presenting the strongest evidence at trial and enhancing all cases after arrests are made in sex-crime and all other cases, while at the same time treating all sex-crime victims with the highest degree of respect and sensitivity. Those two goals do not conflict with each other.

“We will continue working collaboratively and professionally to deliver justice to victims of crime in Manhattan. From time to time we'll have our disagreements, but we will never allow them to undermine this shared endeavor."

Cuomo said in a statement Monday evening: "It is of great concern that sexual assault cases have not been pursued with full vigor by our criminal justice system. Specifically, there are questions about the handling of the 2015 sexual assault case of Ms. Ambra Battilana against Harvey Weinstein. The Manhattan District Attorney is currently in the midst of a separate investigation, which involves witnesses and facts from the 2015 case. The Manhattan District Attorney at this point believes this current investigation will be completed within approximately 45 days.

"It is critical not only that these cases are given the utmost attention but also that there is public confidence in the handling of these cases. Therefore, I have directed the Attorney General to begin a review of the 2015 case in a way that does not interfere with the current investigation and, at the conclusion of the Manhattan District Attorney's current investigation, to review the entire matter and report to me on its findings. Based on these findings we will decide what further actions may be necessary.

"The recent revelations about sexual assault and harassment pervasive in our society are most disturbing. We are leading the way forward with the nation's most comprehensive reform package. This behavior must end."

ABC News also reached out to representatives for the NYPD but didn’t immediately hear back.

Weinstein's lawyer, Ben Brafman, in a statement to ABC News slammed the New York magazine report on Gutierrez.

"We are stunned that NY Magazine chose to report on the claim" by Gutierrez against Weinstein without noting that in a sworn affidavit she 'stated in substance that her complaint against Harvey was the result of a misunderstanding and that her decision to report the incident to the police, was attributed by her to 'bad advice' she received," Brafman said in his statement.

The NYPD said the 2015 case against Weinstein was never prosecuted, New York magazine reported.

And according to The New Yorker magazine, after the district attorney’s office decided not to press charges, Gutierrez "signed a highly restrictive nondisclosure agreement" with Weinstein in addition to the affidavit.

Time's Up's letter said that if Weinstein had been successfully prosecuted in 2015, other women might have been spared his alleged sexual misconduct.

"Arguably his continued victimization of others could have been avoided," the letter said.

Weinstein, 66, has been accused by dozens of women of sexual misconduct, including rape. Though the former movie mogul has apologized for his behavior and sought professional help, a spokeswoman for him has told ABC News that "any allegations of nonconsensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein."

Following publicity on the allegations, Weinstein was fired from The Weinstein Company, banned from the Producer's Guild of America and expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

]]>J. Countess/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Time's Up, an advocacy and legal-defense group fighting sexual harassment in Hollywood and beyond, wants New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to investigate why a prominent prosecutor decided against prosecuting Harvey Weinstein in 2015, two years before dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct and assault against the producer became public.

The open letter, which was exclusively obtained and published by New York magazine's The Cut, calls on Cuomo to "launch an independent investigation of the New York County District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, and the office of the District Attorney to determine the facts related to the decision not to prosecute Harvey Weinstein for sexual abuse crimes against one of his accusers, Ambra Battilana [Gutierrez]."

Gutierrez, a Filipina-Italian model, got Weinstein on audio in March 2015 allegedly admitting to groping her, according to a New York magazine article referenced in the Time's Up letter. The audio recording was part of a sting operation led by the New York Police Department.

On the tape, Weinstein tries to convince her to come into his room, and only after almost two minutes of back-and-forth in the hallway does Weinstein finally end his efforts to get her to stay, New York magazine reported.

Time's Up's open letter to the New York governor focuses on a New York magazine's report suggesting that the district attorney's office may have mishandled the case against Weinstein at the time.

"Reports that District Attorney Cyrus Vance could have been improperly influenced by Mr. Weinstein and/or his representatives, and that senior officials within the DA’s office may have sought to intimidate Battilana are particularly disturbing and merit investigation," the letter said.

"Similarly, reports that the New York Police Department chose to isolate Battilana from Vance’s staff because they feared his office was actively working to discredit her story demand immediate scrutiny," the letter continued.

Gutierrez said previously about her experience with Weinstein, “There were two years where I lost a lot in my life, but I wanted to help others. I’m happy now no one will suffer anymore.”

The district attorney’s office told ABC News that the New York magazine article “bears little resemblance to the facts.”

“The Manhattan DA's pioneering sex crimes unit -- the first of its kind in the country -- has been a national leader in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults committed by perpetrators of all backgrounds since the 1970s,” the statement continued. “The idea that our office would shrink from the challenge of prosecuting a powerful man is belied by our daily work and unparalleled record of success on behalf of sexual assault survivors.”

In a second statement later on Monday, the district attorney's office said: "The NYPD and Manhattan DA’s Office are fully committed partners in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault. Survivors of sexual violence and all who stand with them should know that this account does not accurately represent the strong partnership between the NYPD and Manhattan DA Cy Vance’s Office, and our unparalleled track record of holding sexual predators from all backgrounds accountable in thousands of sex crimes cases that we have successfully brought together.

“The Manhattan DA and the NYPD share the common mission of presenting the strongest evidence at trial and enhancing all cases after arrests are made in sex-crime and all other cases, while at the same time treating all sex-crime victims with the highest degree of respect and sensitivity. Those two goals do not conflict with each other.

“We will continue working collaboratively and professionally to deliver justice to victims of crime in Manhattan. From time to time we'll have our disagreements, but we will never allow them to undermine this shared endeavor."

Cuomo said in a statement Monday evening: "It is of great concern that sexual assault cases have not been pursued with full vigor by our criminal justice system. Specifically, there are questions about the handling of the 2015 sexual assault case of Ms. Ambra Battilana against Harvey Weinstein. The Manhattan District Attorney is currently in the midst of a separate investigation, which involves witnesses and facts from the 2015 case. The Manhattan District Attorney at this point believes this current investigation will be completed within approximately 45 days.

"It is critical not only that these cases are given the utmost attention but also that there is public confidence in the handling of these cases. Therefore, I have directed the Attorney General to begin a review of the 2015 case in a way that does not interfere with the current investigation and, at the conclusion of the Manhattan District Attorney's current investigation, to review the entire matter and report to me on its findings. Based on these findings we will decide what further actions may be necessary.

"The recent revelations about sexual assault and harassment pervasive in our society are most disturbing. We are leading the way forward with the nation's most comprehensive reform package. This behavior must end."

ABC News also reached out to representatives for the NYPD but didn’t immediately hear back.

Weinstein's lawyer, Ben Brafman, in a statement to ABC News slammed the New York magazine report on Gutierrez.

"We are stunned that NY Magazine chose to report on the claim" by Gutierrez against Weinstein without noting that in a sworn affidavit she 'stated in substance that her complaint against Harvey was the result of a misunderstanding and that her decision to report the incident to the police, was attributed by her to 'bad advice' she received," Brafman said in his statement.

The NYPD said the 2015 case against Weinstein was never prosecuted, New York magazine reported.

And according to The New Yorker magazine, after the district attorney’s office decided not to press charges, Gutierrez "signed a highly restrictive nondisclosure agreement" with Weinstein in addition to the affidavit.

Time's Up's letter said that if Weinstein had been successfully prosecuted in 2015, other women might have been spared his alleged sexual misconduct.

"Arguably his continued victimization of others could have been avoided," the letter said.

Weinstein, 66, has been accused by dozens of women of sexual misconduct, including rape. Though the former movie mogul has apologized for his behavior and sought professional help, a spokeswoman for him has told ABC News that "any allegations of nonconsensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein."

Following publicity on the allegations, Weinstein was fired from The Weinstein Company, banned from the Producer's Guild of America and expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

]]>Delta apologizes after 8-week-old puppy sent to wrong locationhttp://wadk.com/business-news/94fe16c77857c2fddd466b0792d327c8
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 16:14:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/94fe16c77857c2fddd466b0792d327c8Delta Airlines(NEW YORK) -- Delta is the latest airline to experience a snafu involving the transport of a pet.

In a post on Delta’s Facebook page, customer Josh Schlaich wrote about his experience with the airline after his new puppy was not delivered to him Saturday night.

“Hey Delta, was supposed to receive my 8-week old pup this evening,” Schlaich wrote on the company's Facebook page. He went on to say that he received a call from “an inconsiderate and uninformed person” from Detroit’s airport saying that the new puppy was going to an unknown location due to a delayed flight.

The puppy was supposed to be flown to Boise, Idaho.

Schlaich said he tried multiple phone numbers to try to connect with someone to find the new addition to his family, but said a rep yelled at him and hung up.

Delta replied to his Facebook post multiple times, apologizing for the incident and giving him a number to call to speak with a supervisor.

In a statement to ABC News, Delta admitted the puppy was sent to another place. “We know pets are important members of the family and apologize for the delayed shipment of a dog, which is now in the hands of its owner, after it was routed to the wrong destination.”

Delta said it reimbursed Schlaich for all the shipping costs associated with the puppy getting delivered to Boise. The airline also launched a review of the procedures to see what caused the puppy to end up in another location, the statement added.

Schlaich updated his Facebook post to Delta, saying the dog was delivered safely and thanking the Delta team in Boise for their helpfulness.

ABC News has reached out to Schlaich for comment but did not immediately hear back.

]]>Delta Airlines(NEW YORK) -- Delta is the latest airline to experience a snafu involving the transport of a pet.

In a post on Delta’s Facebook page, customer Josh Schlaich wrote about his experience with the airline after his new puppy was not delivered to him Saturday night.

“Hey Delta, was supposed to receive my 8-week old pup this evening,” Schlaich wrote on the company's Facebook page. He went on to say that he received a call from “an inconsiderate and uninformed person” from Detroit’s airport saying that the new puppy was going to an unknown location due to a delayed flight.

The puppy was supposed to be flown to Boise, Idaho.

Schlaich said he tried multiple phone numbers to try to connect with someone to find the new addition to his family, but said a rep yelled at him and hung up.

Delta replied to his Facebook post multiple times, apologizing for the incident and giving him a number to call to speak with a supervisor.

In a statement to ABC News, Delta admitted the puppy was sent to another place. “We know pets are important members of the family and apologize for the delayed shipment of a dog, which is now in the hands of its owner, after it was routed to the wrong destination.”

Delta said it reimbursed Schlaich for all the shipping costs associated with the puppy getting delivered to Boise. The airline also launched a review of the procedures to see what caused the puppy to end up in another location, the statement added.

Schlaich updated his Facebook post to Delta, saying the dog was delivered safely and thanking the Delta team in Boise for their helpfulness.

ABC News has reached out to Schlaich for comment but did not immediately hear back.

]]>Woman killed by self-driving Uber car identified, as company suspends testinghttp://wadk.com/business-news/62211807a1aa9b1cebf07fe1eb3924de
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 15:39:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/62211807a1aa9b1cebf07fe1eb3924deUber(TEMPE, Ariz.) -- A self-driving Uber car hit and killed a pedestrian Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona, police said, in what appears to be the first case of a pedestrian death caused by an autonomous vehicle.

The vehicle was in "autonomous mode at the time of the collision, with a vehicle operator behind the wheel," Tempe police said in a statement.

The female pedestrian, identified as 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, was walking her bicycle across the street outside the crosswalk when she was struck, police said, adding that an investigation is ongoing.

She died of her injuries at a hospital.

There were no passengers in the Uber vehicle.

In a briefing on Monday afternoon, police said the car was equipped with multiple cameras -- one looking forward and one facing the human driver.

Police added that the driver showed no signs of impairment and that prosecutors will be looking at the case for possible charged.

The vehicle was going 40 mph when it hit the pedestrian. There was no indication the car attempted to slow itself before the collision.

In a statement to ABC News, Uber said, "Our hearts go out to the victim’s family. We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident."

In the wake of the crash, Uber has suspended its self-driving operations in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and Toronto, the ridesharing service said.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misidentified the women. She was walking her bike across the street when hit, police said.

]]>Uber(TEMPE, Ariz.) -- A self-driving Uber car hit and killed a pedestrian Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona, police said, in what appears to be the first case of a pedestrian death caused by an autonomous vehicle.

The vehicle was in "autonomous mode at the time of the collision, with a vehicle operator behind the wheel," Tempe police said in a statement.

The female pedestrian, identified as 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, was walking her bicycle across the street outside the crosswalk when she was struck, police said, adding that an investigation is ongoing.

She died of her injuries at a hospital.

There were no passengers in the Uber vehicle.

In a briefing on Monday afternoon, police said the car was equipped with multiple cameras -- one looking forward and one facing the human driver.

Police added that the driver showed no signs of impairment and that prosecutors will be looking at the case for possible charged.

The vehicle was going 40 mph when it hit the pedestrian. There was no indication the car attempted to slow itself before the collision.

In a statement to ABC News, Uber said, "Our hearts go out to the victim’s family. We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident."

In the wake of the crash, Uber has suspended its self-driving operations in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and Toronto, the ridesharing service said.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misidentified the women. She was walking her bike across the street when hit, police said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 335.60 (-1.35 percent) to finish the session at 24,610.91.

The Nasdaq fell 137.74 (-1.84 percent) to close at 7,344.24, while the S&P 500 finished trading at 2,712.92, down 39.09 (-1.42 percent) for the day.

Crude oil prices dipped 0.24 percent to $62 per barrel.

Winners and Losers: Shares of Facebook sunk 6.77 percent as the stock continues to suffer from accusations that Cambridge Analytica mishandled the personal information of more than 50 million Facebook users during the 2016 presidential election. Facebook on Saturday announced it had suspended the data firm.

]]>iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Losses in tech companies, including Facebook, led Wall Street in the red on Monday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 335.60 (-1.35 percent) to finish the session at 24,610.91.

The Nasdaq fell 137.74 (-1.84 percent) to close at 7,344.24, while the S&P 500 finished trading at 2,712.92, down 39.09 (-1.42 percent) for the day.

Crude oil prices dipped 0.24 percent to $62 per barrel.

Winners and Losers: Shares of Facebook sunk 6.77 percent as the stock continues to suffer from accusations that Cambridge Analytica mishandled the personal information of more than 50 million Facebook users during the 2016 presidential election. Facebook on Saturday announced it had suspended the data firm.

]]>Survey shows Americans blow more than $5,000 a year on impulse buyshttp://wadk.com/business-news/522dd3b9f08f0987641ecf1fed8e23ef
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 10:55:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/522dd3b9f08f0987641ecf1fed8e23efiStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- We're all guilty of it: that last-minute snag of a product on the check-out line, Amazon, or late-night-TV. In fact, it's such a bad habit that a new survey shows Americans blow an average of $5,400 a year on so-called impulse buys.

A poll of 2,000 American adults commissioned by the online coupon site Slickdeals reveals that we blow more than five grand on as many as three impulse purchases a week. While they're not always expensive -- a last-minute tin of Altoids at the checkout line qualifies, for example -- they quickly add up.

The survey notes that as many as 20% of all purchases made by adults are last minute ones: more than 150 per year, or as many as one buy in five.

What's that cost the average shopper over a lifetime? It's ain't pretty: as much as $324,000, according to researchers.

Food ranked highest in terms of on-the-fly buys, coming in at 71%, while clothing ranked at 53%. Household items came in at 33%, while those must-have shoes ranked at 28% of spontaneous purchases.

While most splurges are relatively inexpensive, some can be quite spendy: 11% noted taking a vacation on the fly.

A poll of 2,000 American adults commissioned by the online coupon site Slickdeals reveals that we blow more than five grand on as many as three impulse purchases a week. While they're not always expensive -- a last-minute tin of Altoids at the checkout line qualifies, for example -- they quickly add up.

The survey notes that as many as 20% of all purchases made by adults are last minute ones: more than 150 per year, or as many as one buy in five.

What's that cost the average shopper over a lifetime? It's ain't pretty: as much as $324,000, according to researchers.

Food ranked highest in terms of on-the-fly buys, coming in at 71%, while clothing ranked at 53%. Household items came in at 33%, while those must-have shoes ranked at 28% of spontaneous purchases.

While most splurges are relatively inexpensive, some can be quite spendy: 11% noted taking a vacation on the fly.

Christopher Wylie, who helped found Cambridge and worked there until late 2014, told ABC News the company would use the information, including Facebook users’ hometowns, friends and “likes” to influence the behavior of potential voters.

“Cambridge Analytica will try to pick at whatever mental weakness or vulnerability that we think you have and try to warp your perception of what’s real around you,” Wylie told ABC News in the interview. “If you are looking to create an information weapon, the battle space you operate in is social media. That is where the fight happens.”

Facebook announced it had suspended Cambridge Analytica on Saturday, stripping it of its ability to buy ads, as U.S. and British lawmakers called for government investigations of the breach.

The social media giant said approximately 270,000 people had downloaded an app developed by University of Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan, who it said “lied” and violated its policy by gathering user data and passing it on to Cambridge Analytica.

“We are committed to vigorously enforcing our policies to protect people’s information,” Facebook said in its statement. “We will take legal action if necessary to hold them responsible and accountable for any unlawful behavior.”

Wylie, a self-proclaimed whistleblower, said Facebook banned him from its platform as well after he disclosed information that he claimed “they have known privately for two years.”

Cambridge Analytica -- whose backers reportedly include billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon -- denied any wrongdoing, including claims that it used or held onto Facebook data, but Wylie’s description of his work there told a different story.

“We would ask people to fill out psychological surveys,” he said, “That app would then harvest their data from Facebook. Then, that app would crawl through their friend network and pull all of the data from their friends also.”

Wylie accused the firm of “weaponizing the internet” and utilizing Facebook data to build psychological profiles of potential voters.

“It’s sort of like the digital shadow of yourself,” Wylie said. “So, when you think about what you do on social media, you curate your identity, so when you like things, when you follow things, you reveal all these little clues and if we have enough of those clues, we can start to develop a portrait of who you are.”

Wylie’s claims come amid swirling questions about the digital operations surrounding the Trump campaign and Republican Party efforts during the last campaign cycle.

A spokesperson for the campaign told ABC News it never used Cambridge Analytica’s data, saying it relied on voter information gathered by the Republican National Committee.

“Any claims that voter data were used from another source to support the victory in 2016 are false,” the spokesperson said.

]]>ABC News(LONDON) -- A former Cambridge Analytica employee accused the data analytics firm of mishandling the personal information of more than 50 million Facebook users in an effort to help Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Christopher Wylie, who helped found Cambridge and worked there until late 2014, told ABC News the company would use the information, including Facebook users’ hometowns, friends and “likes” to influence the behavior of potential voters.

“Cambridge Analytica will try to pick at whatever mental weakness or vulnerability that we think you have and try to warp your perception of what’s real around you,” Wylie told ABC News in the interview. “If you are looking to create an information weapon, the battle space you operate in is social media. That is where the fight happens.”

Facebook announced it had suspended Cambridge Analytica on Saturday, stripping it of its ability to buy ads, as U.S. and British lawmakers called for government investigations of the breach.

The social media giant said approximately 270,000 people had downloaded an app developed by University of Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan, who it said “lied” and violated its policy by gathering user data and passing it on to Cambridge Analytica.

“We are committed to vigorously enforcing our policies to protect people’s information,” Facebook said in its statement. “We will take legal action if necessary to hold them responsible and accountable for any unlawful behavior.”

Wylie, a self-proclaimed whistleblower, said Facebook banned him from its platform as well after he disclosed information that he claimed “they have known privately for two years.”

Cambridge Analytica -- whose backers reportedly include billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon -- denied any wrongdoing, including claims that it used or held onto Facebook data, but Wylie’s description of his work there told a different story.

“We would ask people to fill out psychological surveys,” he said, “That app would then harvest their data from Facebook. Then, that app would crawl through their friend network and pull all of the data from their friends also.”

Wylie accused the firm of “weaponizing the internet” and utilizing Facebook data to build psychological profiles of potential voters.

“It’s sort of like the digital shadow of yourself,” Wylie said. “So, when you think about what you do on social media, you curate your identity, so when you like things, when you follow things, you reveal all these little clues and if we have enough of those clues, we can start to develop a portrait of who you are.”

Wylie’s claims come amid swirling questions about the digital operations surrounding the Trump campaign and Republican Party efforts during the last campaign cycle.

A spokesperson for the campaign told ABC News it never used Cambridge Analytica’s data, saying it relied on voter information gathered by the Republican National Committee.

“Any claims that voter data were used from another source to support the victory in 2016 are false,” the spokesperson said.

]]>Online grocery sales could reach $100 billion by 2022, researchers sayhttp://wadk.com/business-news/110f17b1cab66226abc40dc97d40096e
Sat, 17 Mar 2018 11:21:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/110f17b1cab66226abc40dc97d40096eiStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Instead of taking a trip to a local grocery store, more and more consumers are opting to order essentials such as cereal, toothpaste or even apples from online retail giants.

Walmart, for one, announced Wednesday that it is bolstering its grocery-delivery service to reach even more cities.

The service, previously available in just six markets, will expand to 100 metro areas, the company said in a statement. Walmart is already the country's largest grocer, with 90 percent of Americans living within 10 miles of a store.

"Online is the future of grocery," said Richard Kestenbaum, a retail industry expert and partner at Triangle Capital LLC. "Especially for packaged goods, but eventually even for fresh produce and protein."

It's a market worth tens of billions of dollars, and "everyone is doing all they can to focus on maintaining share," he added.

The retail heavyweight acquired the grocery chain last year to supplement its AmazonFresh delivery program. Since then, grocers Kroger and Albertsons, which owns Acme and Safeway stores, have partnered with Instacart, another online grocery delivery service, to offer their shoppers a similar convenience.

In fact, this past week, Kroger announced plans to expand its partnership with Instacart to increase delivery coverage this year.

Even Target Corp. is leaning into grocery delivery with its December 2017 acquisition of Shipt, an online same-day delivery platform.

By 2022, online grocery shopping could be a $100 billion industry, and as many as 70 percent of consumers could be doing a portion of their food shopping online, according to a report co-authored by Food Marketing Institute and Nielsen.

Their original projection for those growth numbers was 2025, but with Amazon's aggressive move leading other grocers to step up their e-commerce options, FMI and Nielsen shortened their projection by 3 years, Mark Baum, the chief collaboration officer at FMI told ABC News.

"Depending on what happens the next two or three years, we may revise it again," Baum said of the projection.

"Food is like the holy grail because we all have to eat," he added. "Food has, categorically and broadly speaking, more trips than other category, consumers can relate to it easily, and it's is an area of growth."

One of the biggest challenges retailers face in breaking through with online grocery sales is delivering produce and meat.

"The perishable-item problem has to be solved in order for consumers to feel comfortable," Kestenbaum said.

Shoppers often feel most comfortable picking out fruits and vegetables themselves, he explained.

"A lot of the purchases online now are the packaged goods," John Karolefski, grocery industry expert and editor of GroceryStories.com, told ABC News.

Price is another obstacle for some grocers looking to sell online.

"Lower prices is the key, and traditional grocers have to respond to that," he added.

Smaller grocery chains are finding it challenging to step into a digital space flooded with huge competitors.

"Every smart grocer has to offer online grocery shopping option because if they won't, their competitors will," Karolefski said. "They'll go down the road and order from somewhere else, and it's no trouble to go down the road when you're online."

For most shoppers, it comes down to one word: convenience. "As long as it doesn't cost them money," Kesterbaum said.

And a company like Amazon can deliver products as quickly as anyone, said Karolefski, adding that "Amazon is the endless aisle, and a lot of grocery stores can't do that."

Millennials using more e-commerce is also driving grocery deliveries, Baum said. Those "who grew up in digital are picking this up more quickly than other age groups."

Walmart, for one, announced Wednesday that it is bolstering its grocery-delivery service to reach even more cities.

The service, previously available in just six markets, will expand to 100 metro areas, the company said in a statement. Walmart is already the country's largest grocer, with 90 percent of Americans living within 10 miles of a store.

"Online is the future of grocery," said Richard Kestenbaum, a retail industry expert and partner at Triangle Capital LLC. "Especially for packaged goods, but eventually even for fresh produce and protein."

It's a market worth tens of billions of dollars, and "everyone is doing all they can to focus on maintaining share," he added.

The retail heavyweight acquired the grocery chain last year to supplement its AmazonFresh delivery program. Since then, grocers Kroger and Albertsons, which owns Acme and Safeway stores, have partnered with Instacart, another online grocery delivery service, to offer their shoppers a similar convenience.

In fact, this past week, Kroger announced plans to expand its partnership with Instacart to increase delivery coverage this year.

Even Target Corp. is leaning into grocery delivery with its December 2017 acquisition of Shipt, an online same-day delivery platform.

By 2022, online grocery shopping could be a $100 billion industry, and as many as 70 percent of consumers could be doing a portion of their food shopping online, according to a report co-authored by Food Marketing Institute and Nielsen.

Their original projection for those growth numbers was 2025, but with Amazon's aggressive move leading other grocers to step up their e-commerce options, FMI and Nielsen shortened their projection by 3 years, Mark Baum, the chief collaboration officer at FMI told ABC News.

"Depending on what happens the next two or three years, we may revise it again," Baum said of the projection.

"Food is like the holy grail because we all have to eat," he added. "Food has, categorically and broadly speaking, more trips than other category, consumers can relate to it easily, and it's is an area of growth."

One of the biggest challenges retailers face in breaking through with online grocery sales is delivering produce and meat.

"The perishable-item problem has to be solved in order for consumers to feel comfortable," Kestenbaum said.

Shoppers often feel most comfortable picking out fruits and vegetables themselves, he explained.

"A lot of the purchases online now are the packaged goods," John Karolefski, grocery industry expert and editor of GroceryStories.com, told ABC News.

Price is another obstacle for some grocers looking to sell online.

"Lower prices is the key, and traditional grocers have to respond to that," he added.

Smaller grocery chains are finding it challenging to step into a digital space flooded with huge competitors.

"Every smart grocer has to offer online grocery shopping option because if they won't, their competitors will," Karolefski said. "They'll go down the road and order from somewhere else, and it's no trouble to go down the road when you're online."

For most shoppers, it comes down to one word: convenience. "As long as it doesn't cost them money," Kesterbaum said.

And a company like Amazon can deliver products as quickly as anyone, said Karolefski, adding that "Amazon is the endless aisle, and a lot of grocery stores can't do that."

Millennials using more e-commerce is also driving grocery deliveries, Baum said. Those "who grew up in digital are picking this up more quickly than other age groups."

A flight from Newark to St. Louis was diverted Thursday after the airline realized that a dog was "mistakenly" loaded onto the plane, United Airlines said in a statement.

The dog was dropped off in Akron, Ohio, and was later "safely delivered" to its owner, the airline said. It is unclear where the reunion took place.

United provided compensation to all of the customers onboard the diverted Flight 3996, it said.

The mix-up was the third incident involving a pet on a United Airlines flight in just a week.

On Monday, a 10-month-old French bulldog puppy named Kokito died aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York after a flight attendant ordered the owner to place the dog's carrier -- with the dog still inside -- in the overheard bin because it was blocking the aisle.

United said in a statement that the flight attendant did not realize the dog was inside the carrier because she did not hear the passenger's warning. It also said it would implement a new policy next month in which brightly colored tags will be issued to customers traveling with animals.

Prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney's Office in Houston announced Thursday that they were reviewing Kokito's death to see whether animal cruelty charges are warranted.

On Tuesday, a 10-year-old German Shepard named Irgo was flown to Japan instead of its intended destination in Kansas City, Missouri, the airline said.

When Irgo's owner, Kara Swindle, went to pick him up, a "beautiful Great Dane" was waiting for her instead, she told ABC News.

It turned out United had actually sent two dogs to the wrong destination during connections in Denver, the airline said in a statement.

Irgo was flown back to the U.S. in first class, Swindle said, but she is considering taking legal action against the airline.

“I don’t want this to ever happen again,” she said. “I want to make sure that they actually do something to stop all of this and make sure that no one has to go through this.”

]]>United Airlines(ST. LOUIS) -- A third mishap involving a pet on a United Airlines flight has occurred in less than a week.

A flight from Newark to St. Louis was diverted Thursday after the airline realized that a dog was "mistakenly" loaded onto the plane, United Airlines said in a statement.

The dog was dropped off in Akron, Ohio, and was later "safely delivered" to its owner, the airline said. It is unclear where the reunion took place.

United provided compensation to all of the customers onboard the diverted Flight 3996, it said.

The mix-up was the third incident involving a pet on a United Airlines flight in just a week.

On Monday, a 10-month-old French bulldog puppy named Kokito died aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York after a flight attendant ordered the owner to place the dog's carrier -- with the dog still inside -- in the overheard bin because it was blocking the aisle.

United said in a statement that the flight attendant did not realize the dog was inside the carrier because she did not hear the passenger's warning. It also said it would implement a new policy next month in which brightly colored tags will be issued to customers traveling with animals.

Prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney's Office in Houston announced Thursday that they were reviewing Kokito's death to see whether animal cruelty charges are warranted.

On Tuesday, a 10-year-old German Shepard named Irgo was flown to Japan instead of its intended destination in Kansas City, Missouri, the airline said.

When Irgo's owner, Kara Swindle, went to pick him up, a "beautiful Great Dane" was waiting for her instead, she told ABC News.

It turned out United had actually sent two dogs to the wrong destination during connections in Denver, the airline said in a statement.

Irgo was flown back to the U.S. in first class, Swindle said, but she is considering taking legal action against the airline.

“I don’t want this to ever happen again,” she said. “I want to make sure that they actually do something to stop all of this and make sure that no one has to go through this.”

]]>Father, toddler kicked off Southwest Airlines flight, video showshttp://wadk.com/business-news/98e4f278e43817470377f1f85e4b9966
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:00:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/98e4f278e43817470377f1f85e4b9966Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) -- Video shows a father and his 2-year-old daughter being kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight in Chicago after the child reportedly became unruly.

The Atlanta-bound flight had left its gate at Midway International Airport before it turned back to deplane the family.

Filmed by co-passenger Alexis Armstrong, the video shows two flight attendants talking to the toddler's father and another woman, after which one of the flight attendants says, "The decision has been made."

Armstrong told WGN-TV that the child was crying before takeoff and didn't want to sit in her seat.

"She was crying. She was nervous," Armstrong said. "The flight attendant had stated that he needed to calm her down or he was going to be escorted off the plane with her."

The father asked the attendant to give him a minute, and by the time the plane was taxiing, the child was sitting quietly in her own seat, Armstrong said.

But the plane ultimately turned back around and security personnel escorted the family off, according to Armstrong.

Armstrong added that even though there was nothing legally wrong with what happened, she said the incident didn't need to escalate so far and that parents can't always control scared toddlers.

Southwest Airlines responded to the incident with a statement.

"After departure Wednesday evening, Flight 1683 to Atlanta returned to the gate at Chicago Midway to allow supervisors to board the aircraft," the airline said. "Our initial reports indicate a conversation escalated onboard between the crew and a customer traveling with a small child.

"We always aim for a welcoming and hospitable experience and regret the inconvenience to all involved. The traveling party was booked on the next flight to Atlanta after the original flight continued as planned. We will reach out to the customer to listen to any concerns they have about their experience and look forward to welcoming them onboard again soon."

]]>Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) -- Video shows a father and his 2-year-old daughter being kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight in Chicago after the child reportedly became unruly.

The Atlanta-bound flight had left its gate at Midway International Airport before it turned back to deplane the family.

Filmed by co-passenger Alexis Armstrong, the video shows two flight attendants talking to the toddler's father and another woman, after which one of the flight attendants says, "The decision has been made."

Armstrong told WGN-TV that the child was crying before takeoff and didn't want to sit in her seat.

"She was crying. She was nervous," Armstrong said. "The flight attendant had stated that he needed to calm her down or he was going to be escorted off the plane with her."

The father asked the attendant to give him a minute, and by the time the plane was taxiing, the child was sitting quietly in her own seat, Armstrong said.

But the plane ultimately turned back around and security personnel escorted the family off, according to Armstrong.

Armstrong added that even though there was nothing legally wrong with what happened, she said the incident didn't need to escalate so far and that parents can't always control scared toddlers.

Southwest Airlines responded to the incident with a statement.

"After departure Wednesday evening, Flight 1683 to Atlanta returned to the gate at Chicago Midway to allow supervisors to board the aircraft," the airline said. "Our initial reports indicate a conversation escalated onboard between the crew and a customer traveling with a small child.

"We always aim for a welcoming and hospitable experience and regret the inconvenience to all involved. The traveling party was booked on the next flight to Atlanta after the original flight continued as planned. We will reach out to the customer to listen to any concerns they have about their experience and look forward to welcoming them onboard again soon."

]]>Nike president retiring as the company addresses workplace behavior concernshttp://wadk.com/business-news/76c26e0c12bea0e7ef20e6c3c2c58caf
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:10:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/76c26e0c12bea0e7ef20e6c3c2c58cafStephen Lam/Getty Images(PORTLAND) -- Nike President Trevor Edwards will retire this summer, the company said Thursday, shortly after the corporation reportedly sent out a companywide email referring to workplace conduct.

Mark Parker, chairman and CEO of Nike, said the company has “become aware of reports of behavior occurring within our organization that do not reflect our core values of inclusivity, respect and empowerment,” according to the internal email, acquired by ESPN, which reported that the note preceded news of Edwards' retirement by “moments.”

“This disturbs and saddens me,” Parker said.

The note does not implicate Edwards, according to ESPN. But the pending retirement of the Nike brand president comes at a time “when we are accelerating our transition to the next stage of growth and advancing our culture,” Parker wrote.

In a news release issued later Thursday, Parker thanked Edwards, 55, for the “important role he has played for 25 years and for his significant contributions. He has helped us grow and strengthen our brand on a global scale.”

The company did not specify why Edwards is leaving.

Edwards, who departs as the company’s No. 2 employee, has been with Nike since 1992, joining as a regional marketing manager, according to his profile on the company website.

He has led some of Nike’s most important innovations, including the creation of Nike , the website states.

He will serve as an adviser to Parker until his retirement in August, as Nike transitions its organization, Parker said in the press statement.

Mark Parker, chairman and CEO of Nike, said the company has “become aware of reports of behavior occurring within our organization that do not reflect our core values of inclusivity, respect and empowerment,” according to the internal email, acquired by ESPN, which reported that the note preceded news of Edwards' retirement by “moments.”

“This disturbs and saddens me,” Parker said.

The note does not implicate Edwards, according to ESPN. But the pending retirement of the Nike brand president comes at a time “when we are accelerating our transition to the next stage of growth and advancing our culture,” Parker wrote.

In a news release issued later Thursday, Parker thanked Edwards, 55, for the “important role he has played for 25 years and for his significant contributions. He has helped us grow and strengthen our brand on a global scale.”

The company did not specify why Edwards is leaving.

Edwards, who departs as the company’s No. 2 employee, has been with Nike since 1992, joining as a regional marketing manager, according to his profile on the company website.

He has led some of Nike’s most important innovations, including the creation of Nike , the website states.

He will serve as an adviser to Parker until his retirement in August, as Nike transitions its organization, Parker said in the press statement.

"I believe that this is an under-reported, swept-under-the-rug, not-dealt-with issue in our industry," Betty Pina, an Alaska Airlines first officer and former military pilot, told ABC News. "It's not just our airline."

Pina alleges that she was drugged and raped by her captain, whom she identifies as Paul Engelien, during a three-day assignment last June in a hotel room during a layover they had in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"I trusted my captain," Pina said. "We had a lot in common. He was military and he has foster kids and I was a foster kid and so I didn't see any threats."

In the lawsuit filed on March 14, Pina alleges that Engelien invited her for drinks at the hotel in between flights. She claims the captain brought her a second glass of wine and after taking two sips, she began "having a hard time keeping her head up and things appeared to be closing in," according to the complaint.

The next thing she remembers is "waking up and being pulled on her right ankle," the lawsuit claims.

She allegedly woke up again hours later on Engelien's vomit-soaked hotel bed wearing her top and bra, but no pants or underwear.

"This is the part ... when it all kind of clicked," she told ABC News. "I saw the nightstand, and I saw my black purse, and I opened it to see if my phone was in there because I could feel it, and my underwear were in my purse ... and I am just freaking out.

"Why would I put my underwear in my purse? I've never done anything like that," she added. "That to me seemed like he did that. He wanted to clean it up or obviously this was very calculated, it's very orchestrated."

The lawsuit alleges that when Pina confronted the captain about what had occurred, he denied any sexual contact, and said, "You were coming on to me pretty hard."

While Pina reported the incident to her union representative two days after the encounter, she said she never went to the police.

Eric Makus, an attorney representing Pina, told ABC News that it is "not uncommon" for sexual assaults to "go unreported."

"Yet it doesn't change the facts," Makus said. "What occurred, occurred. And what occurred is absolutely unacceptable in a workplace."

Pina's lawsuit comes on the heels of the worldwide #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which see hundreds of women speaking out against sexual harassment and misconduct, especially in the workplace.

The lawsuit argues that Engelien's "grossly abusive actions epitomize the necessity and purpose of the #MeToo movement."

Alaska Airlines confirmed to ABC News on Thursday that Engelien has been grounded, but declined to comment on the "open and active investigation."

"What we can say is that we are taking this matter seriously," Alaska Airlines said in a statement. "The safety and well-being of our employees and guests is a top priority. It is our policy to withhold an employee from work during this type of investigation."

Engelien did not immediately respond to ABC News' repeated requests for comment.

The Air Line Pilots Association declined to comment on the active lawsuit, but said in a statement: " ... Our pilots are committed to the highest standards of professional conduct to ensure the safety and well-being of our passengers and fellow crew members, who entrust their lives to us each time we fly.”

]]>ABC News(NEW YORK) -- An Alaska Airlines pilot who is suing her employer, claiming that she was drugged and raped by her co-pilot during a layover, said she believes that what happened to her is an industry-wide issue that is often "swept under the rug."

"I believe that this is an under-reported, swept-under-the-rug, not-dealt-with issue in our industry," Betty Pina, an Alaska Airlines first officer and former military pilot, told ABC News. "It's not just our airline."

Pina alleges that she was drugged and raped by her captain, whom she identifies as Paul Engelien, during a three-day assignment last June in a hotel room during a layover they had in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"I trusted my captain," Pina said. "We had a lot in common. He was military and he has foster kids and I was a foster kid and so I didn't see any threats."

In the lawsuit filed on March 14, Pina alleges that Engelien invited her for drinks at the hotel in between flights. She claims the captain brought her a second glass of wine and after taking two sips, she began "having a hard time keeping her head up and things appeared to be closing in," according to the complaint.

The next thing she remembers is "waking up and being pulled on her right ankle," the lawsuit claims.

She allegedly woke up again hours later on Engelien's vomit-soaked hotel bed wearing her top and bra, but no pants or underwear.

"This is the part ... when it all kind of clicked," she told ABC News. "I saw the nightstand, and I saw my black purse, and I opened it to see if my phone was in there because I could feel it, and my underwear were in my purse ... and I am just freaking out.

"Why would I put my underwear in my purse? I've never done anything like that," she added. "That to me seemed like he did that. He wanted to clean it up or obviously this was very calculated, it's very orchestrated."

The lawsuit alleges that when Pina confronted the captain about what had occurred, he denied any sexual contact, and said, "You were coming on to me pretty hard."

While Pina reported the incident to her union representative two days after the encounter, she said she never went to the police.

Eric Makus, an attorney representing Pina, told ABC News that it is "not uncommon" for sexual assaults to "go unreported."

"Yet it doesn't change the facts," Makus said. "What occurred, occurred. And what occurred is absolutely unacceptable in a workplace."

Pina's lawsuit comes on the heels of the worldwide #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which see hundreds of women speaking out against sexual harassment and misconduct, especially in the workplace.

The lawsuit argues that Engelien's "grossly abusive actions epitomize the necessity and purpose of the #MeToo movement."

Alaska Airlines confirmed to ABC News on Thursday that Engelien has been grounded, but declined to comment on the "open and active investigation."

"What we can say is that we are taking this matter seriously," Alaska Airlines said in a statement. "The safety and well-being of our employees and guests is a top priority. It is our policy to withhold an employee from work during this type of investigation."

Engelien did not immediately respond to ABC News' repeated requests for comment.

The Air Line Pilots Association declined to comment on the active lawsuit, but said in a statement: " ... Our pilots are committed to the highest standards of professional conduct to ensure the safety and well-being of our passengers and fellow crew members, who entrust their lives to us each time we fly.”

]]>Owner of dog mistakenly flown to Japan 'likely' to take legal action against United Airlineshttp://wadk.com/business-news/1acb16c36dfab4145b742f880c77202d
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:30:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/1acb16c36dfab4145b742f880c77202dABC News(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) -- The owner of a dog mistakenly flown to Japan will “most likely” pursue legal action against United Airlines, she said Friday on ABC News’ “Good Morning America”

“Most likely, yes, we will,” Kansas resident Kara Swindle said when asked whether she will bring a case against United, which misrouted her dog, Irgo, on a 16-hour ordeal to Japan.

“I don’t want this to ever happen again,” she said. “I want to make sure that they actually do something to stop all of this and make sure that no one has to go through this.”

Swindle and her family were reunited Thursday with Irgo, a 10-year-old German shepherd.

"He seems to be doing OK," Swindle said. "He’s a little restless but, hopefully, once we get him back home he can finally start to relax a little."

Swindle and her family moved recently to Kansas. They were supposed to collect Irgo at a cargo facility in Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday afternoon.

United said in a statement Wednesday that “two pets” were sent to “wrong destinations.”

"An error occurred during connections in Denver for two pets sent to the wrong destinations," the statement read. "We apologize for this mistake and are following up with the vendor kennel where they were kept overnight to understand what happened."

United had originally planned to fly Irgo home from Japan on a commercial flight with an attendant but, instead, flew him home on the airline's corporate jet, Swindle said.

"He's never going to want to fly regular again," she joked.

The mix-up involving Irgo came just days after an incident in which a puppy died on a United flight when a flight attendant ordered the owner to place a bag containing the dog in the overhead bin.

Swindle said she plans to get Irgo settled in the family's new home before taking any action against United.

"So far we haven’t talked about what is going to happen after. We’ve just wanted to get him home," she said. "Now that he’s home and, hopefully, in the next week or so, we can finally talk to [United] about what’s going to be done to fix this."

]]>ABC News(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) -- The owner of a dog mistakenly flown to Japan will “most likely” pursue legal action against United Airlines, she said Friday on ABC News’ “Good Morning America”

“Most likely, yes, we will,” Kansas resident Kara Swindle said when asked whether she will bring a case against United, which misrouted her dog, Irgo, on a 16-hour ordeal to Japan.

“I don’t want this to ever happen again,” she said. “I want to make sure that they actually do something to stop all of this and make sure that no one has to go through this.”

Swindle and her family were reunited Thursday with Irgo, a 10-year-old German shepherd.

"He seems to be doing OK," Swindle said. "He’s a little restless but, hopefully, once we get him back home he can finally start to relax a little."

Swindle and her family moved recently to Kansas. They were supposed to collect Irgo at a cargo facility in Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday afternoon.

United said in a statement Wednesday that “two pets” were sent to “wrong destinations.”

"An error occurred during connections in Denver for two pets sent to the wrong destinations," the statement read. "We apologize for this mistake and are following up with the vendor kennel where they were kept overnight to understand what happened."

United had originally planned to fly Irgo home from Japan on a commercial flight with an attendant but, instead, flew him home on the airline's corporate jet, Swindle said.

"He's never going to want to fly regular again," she joked.

The mix-up involving Irgo came just days after an incident in which a puppy died on a United flight when a flight attendant ordered the owner to place a bag containing the dog in the overhead bin.

Swindle said she plans to get Irgo settled in the family's new home before taking any action against United.

"So far we haven’t talked about what is going to happen after. We’ve just wanted to get him home," she said. "Now that he’s home and, hopefully, in the next week or so, we can finally talk to [United] about what’s going to be done to fix this."

]]>Trump business associate: I&rsquo;m only 'guilty of trying to build the world&rsquo;s tallest building'http://wadk.com/business-news/248d008a0db09e41afdc2862b7f442d5
Thu, 15 Mar 2018 19:13:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/248d008a0db09e41afdc2862b7f442d5ABC News(NEW YORK) -- Felix Sater, a Soviet-born American businessman who has raised funds for real estate developments on behalf of the Trump Organization, said there was nothing nefarious about the proposal to build "Trump Tower Moscow" during the height of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Sater discussed the proposal, which would have brought the tallest building in the world to Moscow, in an exclusive interview with George Stephanopoulos airing Friday morning on ABC News’ Good Morning America, just as The New York Times reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had subpoenaed the Trump Organization for any Russia-related documents as part of his ongoing probe of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election.

“Eventually, it will become known that I’m guilty of trying to build the world’s tallest building, and that’s about it,” Sater said.

"Felix Sater was very enthusiastic and very tenacious” in trying to put the deal together, Sater said, but any perceived alignment of Trump’s business and political interests was purely coincidental.

“I was trying to do a real estate transaction,” Sater told ABC News. “I clearly was not involved in the campaign, nor was I involved in any of the political end, and the hope that a large transaction like that would be built. If that was helpful to his run, that would be great.”

Sater has decided to speak out in order to counter what he calls a false narrative spread in media reports that focus on his felony assault conviction stemming from a drunken bar fight in which he slashed a man’s face. Instead, Sater said, he should be viewed as a patriot because of his covert work as an intelligence asset for the FBI and CIA on highly sensitive matters of organized crime and national security.

As detailed this week in a report by BuzzFeed, Sater has assisted U.S. law enforcement in operations targeting everything from mafia members to terror threats.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders referred questions about Mueller’s subpoena to the Trump Organization. Alan S. Futerfas, an attorney for the Trump Organization, said they have been cooperating with Mueller’s office.

“Since July 2017, we have advised the public that the Trump Organization is fully cooperative with all investigations, including the special counsel, and is responding to their requests," he said in a statement. "This is old news, and our assistance and cooperation with the various investigations remains the same today.”

Sater pushed the project in his one-time role as a “senior adviser” to Trump, who signed a nonbinding letter of intent, which promised a $4 million initial payment to the Trump Organization, to pursue a Trump Tower-style building development in Moscow in 2015. The existence of the project seemed to contradict statements Trump made during the campaign that he had “no relationship to Russia whatsoever.”

The Washington Post and The New York Times published emails between Sater and his childhood friend Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney, discussing "Trump Tower Moscow," in which Sater appears to celebrate the apparent nexus between Trump’s business and political fortunes.

“I know how to play it, and we will get this done. Buddy, our boy can become president of the USA, and we can engineer it," he wrote, adding, "I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this.”

Sater told ABC News that those emails reveal only that he was “beyond giddy” about the dual prospects of a billion-dollar deal and Trump’s candidacy. If the deal had progressed further, he said, he would have “gotten to people who know Putin to try to get his blessing” for the project.

“I do not know Putin,” Sater said. “If this transaction was moving forward, I certainly would have made the effort to get to him.”

According to a statement released by Cohen in August, Cohen told Trump about the project three times and did, in fact, reach out to the Kremlin at Sater’s behest before the project was ultimately abandoned -- before, Cohen said, any money changed hands.

“In mid-January 2016, Mr. Sater suggested that I send an email to Mr. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the president of Russia, since the proposal would require approvals within the Russian government that had not been issued,” Cohen’s statement read. “Those permissions were never provided. I decided to abandon the proposal less than two weeks later for business reasons and do not recall any response to my email nor any other contacts by me with Mr. Peskov or other Russian government officials about the proposal.”

Asked if then-candidate Trump could have softened his stance on Russia because he was simultaneously pursuing a business deal there, Sater demurred.

]]>ABC News(NEW YORK) -- Felix Sater, a Soviet-born American businessman who has raised funds for real estate developments on behalf of the Trump Organization, said there was nothing nefarious about the proposal to build "Trump Tower Moscow" during the height of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Sater discussed the proposal, which would have brought the tallest building in the world to Moscow, in an exclusive interview with George Stephanopoulos airing Friday morning on ABC News’ Good Morning America, just as The New York Times reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had subpoenaed the Trump Organization for any Russia-related documents as part of his ongoing probe of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election.

“Eventually, it will become known that I’m guilty of trying to build the world’s tallest building, and that’s about it,” Sater said.

"Felix Sater was very enthusiastic and very tenacious” in trying to put the deal together, Sater said, but any perceived alignment of Trump’s business and political interests was purely coincidental.

“I was trying to do a real estate transaction,” Sater told ABC News. “I clearly was not involved in the campaign, nor was I involved in any of the political end, and the hope that a large transaction like that would be built. If that was helpful to his run, that would be great.”

Sater has decided to speak out in order to counter what he calls a false narrative spread in media reports that focus on his felony assault conviction stemming from a drunken bar fight in which he slashed a man’s face. Instead, Sater said, he should be viewed as a patriot because of his covert work as an intelligence asset for the FBI and CIA on highly sensitive matters of organized crime and national security.

As detailed this week in a report by BuzzFeed, Sater has assisted U.S. law enforcement in operations targeting everything from mafia members to terror threats.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders referred questions about Mueller’s subpoena to the Trump Organization. Alan S. Futerfas, an attorney for the Trump Organization, said they have been cooperating with Mueller’s office.

“Since July 2017, we have advised the public that the Trump Organization is fully cooperative with all investigations, including the special counsel, and is responding to their requests," he said in a statement. "This is old news, and our assistance and cooperation with the various investigations remains the same today.”

Sater pushed the project in his one-time role as a “senior adviser” to Trump, who signed a nonbinding letter of intent, which promised a $4 million initial payment to the Trump Organization, to pursue a Trump Tower-style building development in Moscow in 2015. The existence of the project seemed to contradict statements Trump made during the campaign that he had “no relationship to Russia whatsoever.”

The Washington Post and The New York Times published emails between Sater and his childhood friend Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney, discussing "Trump Tower Moscow," in which Sater appears to celebrate the apparent nexus between Trump’s business and political fortunes.

“I know how to play it, and we will get this done. Buddy, our boy can become president of the USA, and we can engineer it," he wrote, adding, "I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this.”

Sater told ABC News that those emails reveal only that he was “beyond giddy” about the dual prospects of a billion-dollar deal and Trump’s candidacy. If the deal had progressed further, he said, he would have “gotten to people who know Putin to try to get his blessing” for the project.

“I do not know Putin,” Sater said. “If this transaction was moving forward, I certainly would have made the effort to get to him.”

According to a statement released by Cohen in August, Cohen told Trump about the project three times and did, in fact, reach out to the Kremlin at Sater’s behest before the project was ultimately abandoned -- before, Cohen said, any money changed hands.

“In mid-January 2016, Mr. Sater suggested that I send an email to Mr. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the president of Russia, since the proposal would require approvals within the Russian government that had not been issued,” Cohen’s statement read. “Those permissions were never provided. I decided to abandon the proposal less than two weeks later for business reasons and do not recall any response to my email nor any other contacts by me with Mr. Peskov or other Russian government officials about the proposal.”

Asked if then-candidate Trump could have softened his stance on Russia because he was simultaneously pursuing a business deal there, Sater demurred.

]]>Criminal charges considered in New York, Texas after death of dog on United flighthttp://wadk.com/business-news/40c99b9734b2c5bc50d53b1ae873f993
Thu, 15 Mar 2018 13:25:00 -0500http://wadk.com/business-news/40c99b9734b2c5bc50d53b1ae873f993United Airlines(NEW YORK) -- Prosecutors in two states are reviewing the death of a dog on a United Airlines flight to see whether animal cruelty charges are warranted.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, where the flight originated, and the Queens District Attorney’s Office in New York, where it landed, are examining the incident and whether they have jurisdiction.

“We are currently reviewing the facts to determine if there is a prosecutable case,” a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

In Texas, the Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce is investigating, according to Carvana Cloud of the district attorney’s office.

“We’ll review the evidence and apply the law,” Cloud said.

The district attorneys offices are weighing charges after a dog named Kokito died in an overhead bin on a Monday flight. Kokito was placed in the overhead bin after a flight attendant told the dog's family they had to remove it from the aisle to clear the path.

United, however, said the flight attendant did not hear the passenger's warning that there was an animal in the container.

"We have learned that the customer did tell the flight attendant that there was a dog in the carrier. However, our flight attendant did not hear or understand her, and did not knowingly place the dog in the overhead bin," United said in the statement. "As we stated, we take full responsibility and are deeply sorry for this tragic accident."

United said it was investigating the incident. It also said it would implement a new policy in April in which it will issue brightly colored tags to customers traveling with animals.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, where the flight originated, and the Queens District Attorney’s Office in New York, where it landed, are examining the incident and whether they have jurisdiction.

“We are currently reviewing the facts to determine if there is a prosecutable case,” a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

In Texas, the Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce is investigating, according to Carvana Cloud of the district attorney’s office.

“We’ll review the evidence and apply the law,” Cloud said.

The district attorneys offices are weighing charges after a dog named Kokito died in an overhead bin on a Monday flight. Kokito was placed in the overhead bin after a flight attendant told the dog's family they had to remove it from the aisle to clear the path.

United, however, said the flight attendant did not hear the passenger's warning that there was an animal in the container.

"We have learned that the customer did tell the flight attendant that there was a dog in the carrier. However, our flight attendant did not hear or understand her, and did not knowingly place the dog in the overhead bin," United said in the statement. "As we stated, we take full responsibility and are deeply sorry for this tragic accident."

United said it was investigating the incident. It also said it would implement a new policy in April in which it will issue brightly colored tags to customers traveling with animals.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged that Allstar Marketing Group, the New York-based company behind the infomercial product, misrepresented and deceived customers with its ads.

The settlement cites unauthorized charges and failure to adequately disclose material terms of the offer, under the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act.

According to court documents, the FTC said Allstar's "buy-one-get-one-free" promotion failed to disclose additional charges to customers for processing and handling.

The product is said to be available for "just $19.95" and promises consumers the offer will be doubled for "less than $10 each." Those ads never disclosed that a $7.95 handling fee would be applied to each product in the order, which nearly doubled the total price to $35.85.

"The televised commercials for all of its products adhere to a nearly identical script," the FTC said, referring to the deal the company used for multiple products, including the Snuggie and the Magic Mesh screen door.

Refunds will be mailed this week to more than 218,000 customers for an average amount of $33.14 each. The refund checks become void after 60 days.

]]>YouTube(NEW YORK) -- The Snuggie has raked in millions, but now the company behind famous "as seen on TV" fleece blanket is being forced to pay its customers $7.2 million back in refunds.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged that Allstar Marketing Group, the New York-based company behind the infomercial product, misrepresented and deceived customers with its ads.

The settlement cites unauthorized charges and failure to adequately disclose material terms of the offer, under the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act.

According to court documents, the FTC said Allstar's "buy-one-get-one-free" promotion failed to disclose additional charges to customers for processing and handling.

The product is said to be available for "just $19.95" and promises consumers the offer will be doubled for "less than $10 each." Those ads never disclosed that a $7.95 handling fee would be applied to each product in the order, which nearly doubled the total price to $35.85.

"The televised commercials for all of its products adhere to a nearly identical script," the FTC said, referring to the deal the company used for multiple products, including the Snuggie and the Magic Mesh screen door.

Refunds will be mailed this week to more than 218,000 customers for an average amount of $33.14 each. The refund checks become void after 60 days.